Ambient Experience creates an engaging environment for Children’s of Alabama
Ranked among the best children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s of Alabama (Children’s) serves patients from every county in Alabama and nearly every state. Implementation of Philips Ambient Experience solutions in the CT suite proved successful and Children’s felt it would be an impactful addition to the X-ray suite.
The intent was to bring a sense of calm to each patient and parent or caregiver by softening an otherwise sterile environment.
Ambient Experience solutions were installed, and a transformation of the room was immediate and improved patient compliance quickly followed.
Ambient Experience is great for improved compliance and it’s a better experience for the child.”
Karen Knight, Diagnostic Imaging Manager
Children’s of Alabama
A look back at the challenge
Children’s mission is to provide the finest pediatric health services in an environment that fosters excellence in research and medical education. They were looking to continue to enhance their care environments to eases patient stress and positively impact workflow and staff productivity. After success with Ambient Experience solutions in the CT suite, they targeted the busy X-ray suite which was running at full capacity and struggling with patient compliance.
Inpatient X-rays of young children are not elective – they are mandatory. So however the image is acquired, it must be done successfully. Adding to the challenge, parents/caregivers often accompany their youngsters into the exam room and their own anxiety can be contagious. Through years of experience imaging young children, both Karen Knight, Diagnostic Imaging Manager, and Latasha Traylor, X-ray Lead Technologist, understand that the child is only going to be as calm as the parent and the parent only as calm as the child. Therefore any ‘solution’ must positively impact each.
Finding an innovative solution
Ambient Experience integrates dynamic lighting, sound, and video to create an engaging environment designed to ease patient stress and positively impact workflow and productivity.
By removing the negative elements and impersonal atmosphere associated with an X-ray suite, and replacing them with positive elements that soothe and distract, satisfaction can be improved for both patients, families, and staff.
The new X-ray suite at Children’s uses dynamic lighting, sound, and video and includes over 40 different theme choices, which can be selected by the technologist and/or the patient.
Without Ambient Experience, kids are very anxious. They can get upset easily and we often need to bring the parent or accompanying adult or another tech into the room to help us out. When the child is not cooperating, each exam takes much longer. Ambient Experience has improved our patient experience by creating a special, calming X-ray environment for the children.”
Latasha Traylor, X-ray Lead Technologist
Children’s of Alabama
Decisive results* for all
Children's of Alabama discovered that Ambient Experience solutions provide a differentiating factor in their delivery of pediatric care. In 2022, Children’s was recognized as one of the best children’s hospitals in all 10 specialties tracked by U.S. News and World Report. Their collaboration with Philips helps sustain that commitment to exceptional care.
With the latest room upgrade, Children’s has experienced an increase in patient compliance and satisfaction as well as improved staff efficiency and satisfaction when using the X-ray room with Ambient Experience solutions. Exam time has been shortened and patient throughput has improved.
Just one thing can change a child’s whole experience at Children’s, and something like Ambient Experience can make that difference. It’s something they’ll always remember as a positive.”
Karen Knight, Diagnostic Imaging Manager
Children’s of Alabama
Learn more about our approach and the results of this transition project by downloading the full case study.
All photos are courtesy of Children’s of Alabama, 2023.
* Results from case studies are not predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary.
